quite
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quite¹
- /kwaɪ̯t/ US, UK
- [ˈkʰw̥aɪ̯t] US, UK
Rhymes with -aɪt
Where it comes from
A development of quit, influence by Anglo-Norman quite. Doublet of coy, quit, quiet, and quietus. For an analogous semantic development from the same root, compare Armenian շատ (šat).
adverb quight
-
With verbs, especially past participles.
Thus when they had the witch diſrobed quight, / And all her filthy feature open ſhowne, / They let her goe at will, and wander waies vnknowne.
Similar: very, absolutely, fully, thoroughly, totally, utterly, all-out, tout à fait, all the way, stone-cold, blind, altogether
-
With prepositional phrases and spatial adverbs.
Margaret passed quite through the pines, and reached the opening beyond which was what was once the yard, but was now, except for a strip of flower-border and turf which showed care, simply a tangle of bushes and briars.
Similar: very, absolutely, fully, thoroughly, totally, utterly, all-out, tout à fait, all the way, stone-cold, blind, altogether
-
With predicative adjectives.
El adrea was quite dead. No more will he slink silently upon his unsuspecting prey.
Similar: very, absolutely, fully, thoroughly, totally, utterly, all-out, tout à fait, all the way, stone-cold, blind, altogether
-
With attributive adjectives, following an (especially indefinite) article; chiefly as expressing contrast, difference etc.
When I warned him that his words might be offensive to identical twins, he said that identical twins were a quite different case.
Similar: very, absolutely, fully, thoroughly, totally, utterly, all-out, tout à fait, all the way, stone-cold, blind, altogether
-
Preceding nouns introduced by the indefinite article. Chiefly in negative constructions.
I ventured to hint that he was not quite a fair judge, as [Charles] Churchill had attacked him violently.
Similar: very, absolutely, fully, thoroughly, totally, utterly, all-out, tout à fait, all the way, stone-cold, blind, altogether
-
With adverbs of manner.
However, the proceedings were quite carefully orchestrated to produce what seemed to be a predetermined outcome.
Similar: very, absolutely, fully, thoroughly, totally, utterly, all-out, tout à fait, all the way, stone-cold, blind, altogether
- Coming before the indefinite article and an attributive adjective. (Now largely merged with moderative senses, below.) "My little plot has been rather successful, after all, hasn't it?" "Quite a perfect success," said Drake.
- With plain adjectives, past participles, and adverbs. “My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. / Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. / “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.”
- Coming before the definite article and an attributive superlative. Laploshka was one of the meanest men I have ever met, and quite one of the most entertaining.
- Before a noun preceded by an indefinite article; now often with ironic implications that the noun in question is particularly noteworthy or remarkable. To debauch the Indians with rum and cheat them of their land was quite a Government affair, and not at all criminal; but to use rum to cheat them of their peltry, was an abomination in the sight of the law.
- Before a noun preceded by the definite article. It's not quite the colour I am looking for.
- With prepositional or adverbial phrases.
-
To a moderate extent or degree; somewhat, rather.
Mind your shoes, the basement is quite wet.
Similar: acceptably, adequately, averagely, fairly, halfway, in a way, indifferent, mackly, moderately, middlesome, middling, middlingly
interjection quight
- Indicates agreement; exactly so. “That's a rather ugly colour for a house, don't you think?” — “Quite.”
quite²
- /ˈkiːteɪ/ UK
Where it comes from
From Spanish quite.
noun quites · quight
- A series of passes made with the cape to distract the bull.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: rather, quite a, quite an, relative, too, comparison, comparatively, already, also, just, yet, really, perfectly, actually, before, practically
Translations
Every language
adv to the greatest extent; completely
| Español | bastante, asaz, menudo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 상당히 sangdanghi |
| 中文 | 挺 tǐng |
| हिन्दी | काफ़ी kāfī |
| Português | totalmente, completamente |
| Français | tout à fait, complètement |
| Deutsch | ganz, völlig, ganz und gar, höchst |
| Italiano | proprio |
| Română | complet, total |
| Русский | вполне́ vpolné, весьма́ vesʹmá, изря́дно izrjádno |
adv in a fully justified sense; truly
| Español | tal como (y) |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 완전히 wanjeonhi |
| 日本語 | すっかり sukkari, 丸で maru de |
| 中文 | 好生 hǎoshēng, 挺 tǐng, 夠 /够 gòu |
| हिन्दी | बिलकुल bilkul |
| Português | realmente, completamente, totalmente |
| Français | vraiment |
| Deutsch | recht, geradezu, buchstäblich, ausgesprochen |
| Italiano | piuttosto |
| Română | realmente, cu adevărat |
| Русский | во́все vóvse, по́лностью pólnostʹju, совсе́м sovsém |
adv to a moderate extent
| Español | bastante |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 꽤 kkwae |
| 日本語 | かなり kanari, 結構 kekkō |
| 中文 | 夠 /够 gòu |
| हिन्दी | काफ़ी kāfī |
| Português | razoavelmente, bastante, bem |
| Français | assez |
| Deutsch | ziemlich, halbwegs, einigermaßen, recht |
| Italiano | piuttosto |
| Ελληνικά | αρκετά arketá |
| Română | cam |
| Русский | во́все vóvse, вполне́ vpolné, дово́льно dovólʹno |
| Tiếng Việt | khá |
Talk about this word "quite." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/quite. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. quite. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/quite "quite." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/quite.Cite this
@misc{quite_2026,
title = {quite},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/quite},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
